You might want to avoid this recruiting company

Tina, RN · Feb 27, 2013

The reason OP cautioned against the recruiter was the rude email reply that was received, not specifically because of the way he/she was addressed.

If the way you are treated by a recruiter doesn't matter to you, so be it. IMO, an MD would never be treated the way OP was. OP deserves his/her title. It should be used, unless otherwise requested.

"Aw, shucks. Little ol' me? No, just call me by my first name..." BOLONEY! If I worked that hard for my degrees, I want the recognition!

nursetim, NP · Feb 27, 2013

Now you have switched gears from a personal affront by an agency to a general advocacy issue. If you reread my initial post, I agreed you received a snotty reply. But you were whiney about it. I never said that you shouldn't be called whatever you want, just that you should get over yourself if you do not get your way. I never said that advocating for our profession was whining.

As to being addressed as "doctor" in the clinical setting, that will always be contraversional and seen from 2 camps. If you want to be addressed as doctor and confuse our patients, fine, technically you would be correct.

My personal stance is, if you want to be addressed as "doctor" in the clinical setting, put the same time in training as the MD and DOs. When our training is on par, then fair enough. When DOs hit the scene, they also fought for recognition, and they had more training than the MDs with the addition of chiropractic manipulation to the standard MD curriculum. Same residency requirements. When we have the same standard, then good to go. If you want to be addressed as "doctor" in the academic setting, fine. If I should ever see the benefit to getting my doctorate, we have what? 5 In nursing now? I will still not introduce my self as "doctor" nursetim. If I decide to pursue the same level of training as an MD, then I will call myself Dr. Nursetim. Y'all do what your conscience lets you do. It makes me no real nevermind.

kguill975, MSN, APRN, NP · Feb 27, 2013

In all defense, it was a snotty reply, but I also could see how your response to the e-mail may have come off a little high handed. It's my understanding that they use a database for those e-mails, which may or may not include the correct title? I'm saying this because I'm an ACNP, surgical NP to be exact, and I get everything from Psych to OB-GYN job offers. So, maybe it wasn't the guy's fault that he got your title wrong, but his reply was inappropriate, although I found it funny, but I have a weird sense of humor. I'm taking one class at a time for the DNP, only because I hope they'll actually change it and make it worth something (clinically speaking) by the time I'm done. When I am done though, I still expect to be called by my first name, because whoever is trying to tell me something can just get to the point instead of worrying about my title, but that's just me. You've worked hard for your degree, so you deserve to be called whatever you want.

NPAlby · Feb 28, 2013

We're still talking about this?

HumptyDumpty · Feb 28, 2013

This is laughable... Seriously getting this bent out of shape because he called you by your first name instead of Dr.? APN's with doctorate degrees aren't called Dr. in the clinical setting, only the academic setting. This recruiter probably didn't even think twice about it.

roryaustin · Feb 28, 2013

I just joined and this is the first post I read, sigh..........

nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP · Mar 1, 2013

1. Become a NP first. Until you do your opinion does not count for much. No offense intended.

2. NPs ARE called Dr. In the clinical setting. Not sure where you got this all encompassing erroneous information.

3. Please re-read and employ some reading comprehension. It was not about being called by my first name it WAS about his reply.

This is laughable... Seriously getting this bent out of shape because he called you by your first name instead of Dr.? APN's with doctorate degrees aren't called Dr. in the clinical setting, only the academic setting. This recruiter probably didn't even think twice about it.

honeykrown, MSN, NP · Mar 2, 2013

Nomadcrna, NP's with masters degree are not called Dr. at all. Some facilities actually put it in signing that for no reason would you call yourself a physician or Dr. without the degree. Because you have a doctorate does not mean everyone would have one and if you weren't so hell bent on being called Dr. you would know this

Most of the recruiters probably deal with NP's without a doctorate thereby calling for the letter without a title. Good for you to want to be called Dr. but as others have said there are several issues in the profession than this.

nomadcrna, DNP, CRNA, NP · Mar 2, 2013

We are not talking about NPs with masters degrees. Please re-read the OP. Really?

Once again, please become an NP so you at least understand the basics. Your replies show that you have no clue about our practice.

In the states I practice in to include Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington and Arizona.

There are no restrictions on being called Dr.

A state and/or facility that has rules or laws against it are uncommon.

Your post is difficult to understand. It seems you are saying "that for no reason would you call yourself a physician or Dr. without the degree". I assume you mean either MD or DO? What about podiatrists, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists and psychologists? They are an MD or DO.

Now, once again. Can you please stay on topic and if you feel the need to respond. Respond about his REPLY. This thread is NOT about being called Dr. as we have many of those. This thread is about is reply when politely asked to address me by title.

This is the position of the national NP organization.

This issue has been debated among certain professional organizations. The AACN and American Academy of Nurse Practitioners have recommended that when using the title "doctor," one should follow it by his or her professional designation, for example, Dr. Smith, Nurse Midwife, or Dr. Jones, Nurse Practitioner. This will reduce confusion and aid to educate others about the educational preparation of nurses. It is the responsibility of both DNP graduates and nurse educators to appropriately educate others about the title "doctor" and the educational preparation of nurses (Chism, 2009).

[h=2]Will doctorally prepared NPs confuse the public?[/h] Doctor of Nursing Practice Frequently Asked Questions - Nursing - Catholic University of America - School of Nursing

The title of Doctor is common to many disciplines and is not the domain of any one group of health professionals. Many NPs currently hold doctoral degrees and are frequently addressed as "doctors". Other health care providers are addressed as "doctor", including clinical psychologists, dentists, and podiatrists. APNs should retain their specialist titles after completing a doctoral program. For example, Nurse Practitioners will continue to be called Nurse Practitioners.

Nomadcrna, NP's with masters degree are not called Dr. at all. Some facilities actually put it in signing that for no reason would you call yourself a physician or Dr. without the degree. Because you have a doctorate does not mean everyone would have one and if you weren't so hell bent on being called Dr. you would know this
Most of the recruiters probably deal with NP's without a doctorate thereby calling for the letter without a title. Good for you to want to be called Dr. but as others have said there are several issues in the profession than this.

HumptyDumpty · Mar 3, 2013

WOW, I guess I am unable to comprehend what I am reading. You know what, you need to get off your high horse. Who cares that you spent an extra year doing some capstone project to get your DNP. Whoopdie doo, now you want to be called Dr. in the clinical setting?? What next, you expect to earn the same as a MD? I bet you couldn't even pass USMLE step 1. Seriously, this shouldn't be an issue.

And your last article you posted is very biased towards the DNP. I have NEVER heard a pharmD, lawyer (JD), or even a physical therapist with a doctorate address themselves as Dr. in the clinical setting. Why should you?

LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 3, 2013

[quote="HumptyDumpty;7203349"

I have NEVER heard a pharmD, lawyer (JD), or even a physical therapist with a doctorate address themselves as Dr. in the clinical setting. Why should you?

^I had a several high school teachers who had their doctorate, and we addressed them as doctor. My nieces' principal has a doctorate, we call her Dr.

If ANYONE has their doctorate, they are to be addressed as DR, especially if they ask to. It is not exclusive to the medical doctor.

OP, you have your doctorate, I will address you as Dr., no matter how misinformed or how people choose to pique at your response...even though your post was about the person who was recruiting you was flip. You do not have to deal with that. I get it.

I'm not a NP, but either way, we are all entitled to respect, and if your are a Dr. (since this has started to be the main focus of this thread), you are entitled to be addressed as a Dr.

The COO at my former job ALWAYS tells his story in how he wanted to be a Dr., it was because of his aunt...she was a APN who had her doctorate, as was addressed as Dr. This was in the 60s. He didn't learn until later that she had her nursing doctorate. His reply was "If I knew SOONER she was a Dr. of Nursing, I would've went the nursing route." Best story I heard about the respect of nurses, APNs and APNs who hold their doctorate. :)

nursetim, NP · Mar 3, 2013

^I had a several high school teachers who had their doctorate, and we addressed them as doctor. My nieces' principal has a doctorate, we call her Dr.
If ANYONE has their doctorate, they are to be addressed as DR, especially if they ask to. It is not exclusive to the medical doctor.
OP, you have your doctorate, I will address you as Dr., no matter how misinformed or how people choose to pique at your response...even though your post was about the person who was recruiting you was flip. You do not have to deal with that. I get it.
I'm not a NP, but either way, we are all entitled to respect, and if your are a Dr. (since this has started to be the main focus of this thread), you are entitled to be addressed as a Dr.
The COO at my former job ALWAYS tells his story in how he wanted to be a Dr., it was because of his aunt...she was a APN who had her doctorate, as was addressed as Dr. This was in the 60s. He didn't learn until later that she had her nursing doctorate. His reply was "If I knew SOONER she was a Dr. of Nursing, I would've went the nursing route." Best story I heard about the respect of nurses, APNs and APNs who hold their doctorate. :)

You are of course free to address whom ever you like, however you like. In the non-clinical setting I agree it is perfectly fine to do so. But in the clinical setting it confuses Pt.s to no end. The fact that I am male, wear a lab coat, and have a stethoscope around my neck, confuses them enough.

At the end of the day it is an ego issue. Earned, unearned, makes no difference. We are members of the most neurotic profession that I know of, except maybe social workers.

So Ladyfree28, let me get this straight. A person you knew/know, respected his aunt. He thought she was a doctor. So he wanted to be a doctor. But didn't become a doctor. Then finds out she had a nursing doctorate, (which one? We have 5 or 6). Then laments not going into nursing.

The inference I draw is the gentleman thought that becoming an MD was not achievable, but becoming a nurse with a doctorate would be achievable. Is that about the size of it? Hmmmm?